Mental Health First Aid

Background

MHFA is funded and supported by Welsh Government as part of Wales’ work on mental health improvement.

Mental Health First Aid was developed in Australia and now training occurs throughout 16 countries worldwide. The original course has been adapted to better suit the needs of people in Wales.

Comparisons can be drawn between emergency (physical) first aid and mental health first aid. In both cases members of the public can offer immediate aid and support the person to gain appropriate help. Mental health problems are more common than people think.

Mental Health First Aid (Wales) (MHFA) teaches the effective skills that could make a difference to a person in a mental health crisis. It could also teach you to save a life.

To attend a course, you don’t need any qualifications, prior knowledge or experience. Mental Health First Aid (Wales) is for everyone.

Five good reasons to attend MHFA (Wales)

Most people don’t know what to do in a mental health crisis. Take the course and you will be one of the few who knows what to do and is confident about putting that knowledge into action.

You will learn how to recognise when a person might need help and the best way to approach them.

You could save a life by learning basic suicide intervention skills.

You will learn what protects your own and other people’s mental health.

You will learn new skills that are useful in every part of your life.

Course aims

MHFA (Wales) aims to help participants:

Preserve life where a person may be a danger to themselves or others

Provide help to prevent a mental health problem developing into a more serious state

Promote recovery of good mental health

Provide comfort to a person experiencing a mental health problem.

Course Programme

The 12 hour course covers a number of topics including:

What is meant by mental health / mental ill health

The signs and symptoms of common mental health problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and psychosis

The range of effective interventions and treatments

How to access help and support.

The course delivery is flexible and may be delivered over 2 full days or spread out over a maximum of 4 sessions over 4 days. You can learn the skills to help someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis or developing mental health problems. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance and a bilingual copy of the MHFA (Wales) manual.

Course Trainer

The course can only be delivered by a specially selected, trained and approved person. This ensures that all MHFA (Wales) Instructors have a certain level of knowledge, skills and experience, that there is consistency in delivery across Wales and that the quality of the delivery of the course can be monitored. Our Trainer, Rachel Stelmach, is a Welsh Government approved trainer, having completed the course run by Mind Cymru in 2013. Already an experienced trainer, she is very enthusiastic about delivering this course and also brings her artistic perspective and a sense of fun to a serious subject – plus chocolate.

Feedback Quotes

“I think Mental Health First Aid should be a mandatory part of workplace training”

“Definitely, would encourage other members of staff do go on course.”

“I believe everybody should be introduced to this training as it could help others and on a personal level, give one a better understanding of one’s own risks and lifestyle”

“I feel much more confident and less intimidated”

“Much more confident, perhaps would have avoided the situation before I would now feel much more confident in dealing with a situation like this.”

“I have a far greater understanding of mental distress and feel I have the confidence and a framework to help me deal with it far better.”

“I feel much more confident now in dealing with mental health issues.”

“I have a much better understanding of mental health issues and feel better equipped to deal with a crisis situation”

“I now feel more knowledgeable and have a better understanding of mental health and first aid. Excellently delivered, Very professional, respectful and personable”

“Excellent and very enjoyable course”

“I can’t really find fault with the course. It exceeded all expectations.”

“Rachel was informative and efficient. She also managed to include humour in the sessions which was a light relief from a heavy subject matter”

“Great instructor”

Booking

You can book an in-house course for your organisation, which works out considerably cheaper if you have 9 or more participants, please get in contact with us to discuss your requirements. The host organisation will be responsible for supplying an accessible venue and food and drinks for participants, unless otherwise stated.